Photographic-plate-treating apparatus



4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

PATENTED JAN. 26, 1904.

G. H. DORR.

PHOTOGRAPHIO PLATE TREATING APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 27, 1903.

no MODEL.

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Afltty No. 750,621. PATENTED JAN. 26, 1904' G. H.. DORE.

PHOTOGRAPHIG PLATE TREATING APPARATUS.

AP'PLIOATION FILED JUNE 27, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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PATENTED JAN. 26; 1904. G. H. DORR.

'PHOTOGRAPHIO PLATE TREATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27. 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l0 IODBL.

No. 750,621. PATENTED JAN. 26, 1904.

I G. H. DORR.

BHOTOGRAPHIO PLATE TREATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 903- I I0 IODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- fiver/tor:WWN7 I Geor aflflorr. fifiwgh f r I 44400 A UNITED STATES PatentedJanuary 26, 1904;.

PATENT OEEIcE.

PHOTOGRAPHlC-PLATE-TREATING APPARATUS- SPECIFIGATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 750,621, dated January 26, 1904.

Application filed June 27, 1903. Selim NO- 163,375. (N0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. Donn, a citi- Zen of the United States,and a resident of New Rochelle, in the county of VVestchester and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPhotographic- Plate-Treating Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to photographic apparatus; and one of the primaryobjects thereof is to provide a compact, inexpensive, and highlyeflicient machine or device by the use of which a large number ofphotographic plates may be rapidly developed and fixed with greatfacility.

Another primary object of the invention is to provide a machine fordeveloping and fixing plates which may be used in the daylight or in thepresence of artificial light without having the sensitive surfaces ofthe plates deleteriously affected.

Other objects of the invention will appear and the many advantages ofthe same be appreciated when the invention is more fully understood. Theinvention includes the combination and arrangement of component partsand details of construction to be hereinafter described, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

WVhile the invention is susceptible of various modifications, theaccompanying drawings disclose and I shall hereinafter describe inconnection therewith what is now conceived to be the preferredembodiment of my invention, and I shall also disclose certainmodifications of the apparatus and machine in order that it may beobvious that the invention is capable of being varied more or less fromthe preferred form without departing from its spirit.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of theapparatus, showing the cover portion thereof tilted into position togive access to the plate-receiving pockets. Fig. 2 is a transversesectional view of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on theline 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail View of the drain-chamber. Fig. 5is a detail view of a modified construction of the fillingconduit. Fig.6 is a side elevation of a modified form of my apparatus, parts beingbroken away; and Fig. 7 is a detail View.

The invention includes generally a tank designed to be closedlight-tight, having a poolchamber therein, a carrier-disk or pluralityof such disks mounted in the tank to rotate in the pool-chamber thereof,each disk having a plate-retainer or plurality of plate-retainers on theface or side thereof, filling and drain openings associated with thetank, and means for giving access to the carrier disk or disks.

In the present exemplilication of my invention the tank is shown ascylindrical in shape and includes a lower body portion a, forming thepool-chamber, and an upper displaceable cover portion 7), preferablyhinged at one peripheral edge to the contiguous edge of the body portiona. The tank is preferably comparatively narrow in width and is supportedin an upright position or with its axis in a horizontal plane by meansof suitable legs a, projecting from the periphery of the body a atequidistantly-spaced points on opposite sides of a vertical planeintersecting the said axis.

In the present embodiment of my invention a plurality of plate-carriersor disks are employed, in the accompanying drawings three being shown,although, as will be appreciated, the number of said carriers is not ofprimary importance. The carriers (Z are rigidly fixed to a shaftjournaled in the body a and provided with an end projecting beyond oneof the sides of said body and terminating in an operating-crankfi Theparticular arrangement and construction of the shaft 0 and the bearingstherefor illustrated in the accompanying drawings constitute animportant subsidiary feature of my invention, as such constructionprovides highly efficient means for excluding light from the interior ofthe tank. As shown, the upper edge portion of the body a is rabbeted orprovided with an offset rim g and shoulder it, the latter providing aseat or rest for the edge of the cover t, while the former laps saidedge upon the inside of the tank. The shoulder it is disposed in ahorizontal plane slightly below the axis of the shaft 0, while the rim gpro ects from said shoulder above said plane. Upon the side of the tankthrough which the end of the shaft 0 extends the rim g is recessed anddirectly to the rear of said recess is provided with a cup-shaped socketA similar cupshaped socket is secured to the rim g diametricallyopposite the socket 2". The shaft 6 is provided with two disks orwashers Z, which find bearings in said sockets z j, the washer 71:overlapping the edge of the recess in said rim to prevent thepenetration of light between the same and the shaft 0. Upon the exteriorportion of the shaft a third disk or washer m is arranged, whichoverlaps the edge of a recess provided in the cover 6 for theaccommodation of the projecting end of said shaft, and this washer alsoacts to exclude light from the interior of the tank.

Each of the carriers (Z preferably comprises a ii at disk rigidlycoupled to the shaft 6 to turn with the latter, and either one or bothof the faces of each of said disks are provided with plate-receivingpockets formed by retainers projecting from said face or faces. While myinvention contemplates any desired location or construction of theseretainers, the particular construction and arrangement of the sameillustrated in the accompanying drawings form a very important featureof my apparatus. In the present exemplilication of my invention a set ofretainers is provided to hold each plate to be treated, and, as shown,one of said sets is arranged upon each face of each disk in each of thequadrants thereof defined by the diameters of the same. Each set ofretaining devices includes side and end alining abutment and overlappingsurfaces 0 and an end yielding retaining member 1). The members 0include alining portions 0, extending at an angle to the face of thedisk with which they are associated, and surfaces 0 disposed parallelwith the face of said disk. The member 32 has a free portion normallyprojecting beyond the face of the disk to rest in the path of the end ofthe photographic plate held by the retainers 0 p, but designed to bepressed out of the path of the plate in order to permit of its removalor to facilitate the same being inserted. The opposite faces of eachdisk are preferably provided with retaining devices, as shown in Fig. 2;but, as has been before indicated, only one face of each disk may beprovided with such retaining means.

The crank f, before referred to, is arranged in alinement with one ofthe diameters of the disk which define the quadrants thereof, and theexterior of the tank is provided with a suitable indicating-mark (1, sothat when the crank is brought into register therewith it will denote tothe operator that one half of the plate-receiving pockets are heldentirely above a horizontal plane intersecting the axis of the disk,while the other half of said receivingpockets are held below said plane,and thus if all of the pockets are filled with plates one half of thelatter will he in the pool-chamber in the body a, while the remainingplates will be entirely out of said pool-chamber.

In the operation of the apparatus the treating-bath is intended to fillthe pool-chamber, so that certain of the plates are first subjected tothis bath, while others are held entirely out of the same, and theoperator is advised of this condition by noting the position of thecrank f relative to the mark I] and is accordingly guided in his furtherprocedure, so that the liability to overdeveloping certain of the platesor parts of the plates at the expense of the other plates is avoided.

As my apparatus is designed to both develop the plates and fix the same,it is impor tant to provide means for rapidly filling and draining thepool-chamber while the tank is completely closed, and this means must beof such construction as to prevent the entrance of light into the tank.For filling the pool chamber in the particular exeinplilication of myinvention disclosed in the accompanying drawings an exteriorperipherally-arranged conduit 0 is provided, having light-bafiiingsurfaces s extending transversely of the same. This conduit is locatedcontiguous to the upper edge of the bottom portion (4 upon the peripherythereof, is open at its upper end, and communicates with the )oolchamberat its lower end through an opening' in the periphcry of the portion (0.Intermediate of the mouth of the conduit and the opening 6 thebafiie-surfaces s are located. The latter surfaces may be formed by ribsspun or pressed out of the metal forming the conduit-wall and peripheryof the tank, respectively, or, as shown in Fig. 6, the baffle-surfacesmay be formed by separate plates projecting from the walls of theconduit. For draining the poolchamber a supplemental chamber a ispreferably associated with the body a, this chamber communicating at oneend with the pool-chamber, having a drain-cock preferably associatedtherewith at its opposite end and having baffle surfaces arrangedintermediate of said ends. These surfaces '0 are preferably formed bytwo sets of transversely-extending partitions, the members of the firstset projecting from one of the walls of the chamber a to within closeproximity to the opposite wall thereof, while the members of the secondset project from said opposite wall toward the first wall and extend inbetween the members of the first set.

As premised, the cover 7) is hinged at one edge to the contiguous edgeof the body portion a, and consequently the greatest separation betweensaid cover and body portion a when the former is opened is between theedges w :1: of said parts a 7), which edges w are located opposite tosaid hinged connection.

My invention is designed, primarily, to be used as a daylight developeror to be capable of use in the presence of artificial light, for

which purpose it is used in conjunction with a portable loading-chamberof any well-known or improved construction. As such chambers are ofnecessity comparatively small, being,

5 in fact, but a little larger than my apparatus,

as indicated, it is essential that the latter be so constructed that thesame may be filled with a minimum displacement of the cover 5 orseparation between the edges '10 m, and the construction by which thispurpose is effected constitutes an important feature of my invention. Asdisclosed herein, the pockets or recesses formed by each set ofretainers open out toward the periphery of the disk, are

5 closed by the end retainers at the ends of the pockets contiguous tothe diameters defining the quadrants, and said pockets of each face ofeach disk are alternately disposed at right angles to one another. Inthe construction shown herein as the diameters defining the quadrantsbefore referred to are brought into vertical and horizontal planes themouth of a plate-receiving pocket is presented toward the edges 10:1with the lower edge of said 5 mouth in alinement with or slightly abovethe horizontal plane of the edge a and the sides of the pockets inparallelism with the upper edge of the body (4. Thus only a minimumopening of the cover portion or separation of 3 the edges 10 a; isrequired to introduce a plate into position. As will be noted, theplatepockets or receiving-recesses are alternately disposed at rightangles to each other, so that upon each quarter-revolution of the disk areceiving-pocket will be brought into filling position, as described.When both faces of one of the disks are provided with receiving pockets,those upon one face are disposed in the same position and substantiallyin trans- 4 verse alinement with the registering pockets on the oppositeface.

As before premised, to load the apparatus in daylight or in the presenceof an artificial light, which might deleteriously afiect the sensitizedsurfaces of the plates, a small portable light-tight box 9 is preferablyprovided. The chamber in this box is of sufiicient size to receive theapparatus described and permit of the displacement of the cover 6necessary for 5 the introduction of the plates into the pockets on thecarrier-disks and is also of sufficient size to accommodate the platesin their holders, which are to be placed in the apparatus. After theplates are all introduced into the treating apparatus the cover thereofis closed and the entire devices removed from the box. Thedeveloping-bath is then introduced into the pool-chamber through thefilling-conduit r and the disk 0 rotated by manipulating the crankf ofthe shaft 6 to carry all of the plates held thereby through the pool ofdeveloping material. After this has acted upon the plates for therequired period of time the same is drawn off through the chamber a andthe fix- 5 ing material run into the pool-chamber. The

disks are then rotated as before to carry the plates through thefixing-bath.

As will be appreciated, in an apparatus comprising three disks withcarriers on both faces of each of the same twenty-four plates may besimultaneously treated.

Instead of using three disks 1 may construct my apparatus with but asingle disk and provide the latter with openings Z through the same inregister with the plate-pockets, leaving only marginal retaining-flanges2 as seats for the edges of the plates. In an apparatus provided withthis construction of disk the cover portion Z1 will be provided withoppositely-arranged windows of translucent 8o material, with which theplates may be registered while in the pockets of the disks to note theaction of the treating-bath upon the same.

It will be understood that the term plate or plates used throughout thespecification 8 5 and claims comprehends any well-known or improved bodyadapted to be suitably sensitized or treated to receive an image by theprocess of photography and having sufiicient stiffness or rigidity topermit the same being introduced into a receiving-pocket.

The construction and operation of my invention will be readilyunderstood upon refer ence to the foregoing description and accompanyingdrawings, and it will be appreciated that the parts and combinationsrecited may be varied within a wide range without departing from thespirit and scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is*

1. In a photographicplatetreating apparatus and in combination, alight-tight tank having a pool-chamber, and a disk rotatably mounted insaid tank having a plate-receiving pocket upon one face of the samearranged to hold a plate with its face substantially parallel with theface of said disk and to pass said plate through said pool-chamber asthe disk is rotated, substantially as described.

2. In a photographic-plate-treating apparatus and in combination, alight-tight tank having a pool-chamber, and a pluralityof disks rotatably mountedin said tank each having a plate-receiving pocket upon one faceof the same arranged to pass through said poolchamber as the disk isrotated, the pocket of each disk operating independently of the pocketsof the other disks in carrying the plates, substantially as described.

3. In a photograpl1ic-plate-treating apparatus and in combination, alight-tight tank having a pool-chamber, and a disk rotatably mounted insaid tank having a plurality of plate-receiving pockets upon one face ofthe same arranged to hold a plurality of plates in substantially thesame plane and to pass said plates through said pool-chamber as the diskis rotated, substantially as described.

4. In a photograpliic-plate-treating appa- 3 ratus and in combination, alight-tight tank l ratus and in combination, a light-tight tank having apool-chamber, and a disk rotatably mounted in said tank havingplate-receiving pockets upon both faces of the same arranged to holdplates upon opposite sides of said disk with their faces substantiallyparallel to the faces of the latter and to pass said plates through saidpool-chamber as the disk is rotated, substantially as described.

5. in a photogra1i hic-platetreating apparatus and in combination, alight-tight tank having a pool-chamber therein, a plurality of disksmounted in said tank, each of said disks having a plurality ofplate-receiving pockets upon one of the faces of the same arranged tohold a plurality of plates in substantially the same vertical plane andto pass said plates through said pool-chamber as the disk is retated,said planes of the plates of the several disks being substantiallyparallel to one another, substantially as described.

6. In a photographic-plate-treating apparatus and in combination, alight-tight tank having a pool-chamber therein, a disk rotatably mountedin said tank, said disk having a plurality of equidistantly-spaced[)liItG-lGCClV- ing pockets on the face thereof arranged to be passedthrough said pool-chamber as the disk is rotated, each of said pocketsincluding surfaces coacting with the end and side edges of the plates,whereby each pocket is constructed to support a plate unassisted,substantially as described.

7. In a photographic-plate-treating apparatus and in combination, alight-tight tank having a pool-chamber therein, a single disk rotatablymounted in said tank, carrying a plurality of plates, said disk having aplatereceiving pocket associated with each quadrant thereof arranged vtobe passed through said pool-chamber as the disk is rotated,substantially as described.

8. In a photographic-plate-treating apparatus and in combination, alight-tight tank having a pool-chamber therein, a disk rotatably mountedin said tank, said disk having a plate-receiving pocket associated witheach quadrant thereof, said pockets being alternately disposed at rightangles to one another, and arranged to be passed through saidpoolchamber as the disk is rotated, substantially as described.

9. In a photographic-plate-treating apparatus and in combination, alight-tight tank having a pool-chamber therein, a disk rotatably mountedin said tank, said disk having a plate-receiving pocket associated witheach quadrant thereof, to hold a plate with its face substantiallyparallel to the face of said disk, said pockets having their mouthspresented outwardly and their opposite ends closed, and

arranged to be passed through said poolchamber as the disk is rotated,substantially as described.

10. In a photograplnc-plate-treating appahaving a pool-chamber therein,a disk rotatably mounted in said tank, and a plurality of sets ofretainers projectii'ig from one of the faces of said disk, saidretainers comprising members having alining surfaces and overhangingsurfaces and other yielding IDOIDlJOIS. substantially as described.

11. In a photographic-plate-treating apparatus and in combination, atank comprising a lower portion constituting a pool-chamber, an uppercover portion displaceable at one peripheral edge from the contiguousedge of the lower portion, a disk revolubly mounted in the lowerportion, and a plurality of platereceiving pockets on the face of thedisk having mouths opening outwardly designed to be successivelypresented toward the spaces between said edges of the bottom and coverwhen the latter is displaced and above the upper edge of the former,with the lower sides of said pocket parallel with the upper edge of thelower portion of the tank, substantially as described.

12. In a pl1otographic-plate-treating apparatus and in c 1nl. i1nition,a tank, a shaft journaled therein, a disk having the quadrants thereofdefined by diametrical lines intersecting said shaft, and aplate-receiving pocket located in each of .said quadrants, arranged tohold a plate with its face parallel to the face of said disk,substantially as described.

13. In a photographicplatetreating apparatus and in combination, a tank,a shaftjournaled therein having one end extending through one of thesides of said tank and provided with a crank, said tank having apoolchamber below a horizontal plane intersecting said shaft, a diskfixed to said shaft, a plateholder on the face thereof to one side of aplane at right angles to said crank and intersecting said shaft, and asecond holder upon the opposite side of said plane, said holdersretaining the plates carried by the same with their faces parallel tothe face of said disk, sul stantially as described.

14. In a photographic-plate-treating apparatus and in combination, atank, a shaft ion 1'- naled therein having one end extending through oneof the sides of said tank and provided with a crank, said tank having apoolchamber below a horizontal plane intersecting said shaft, a singledisk fixed to said shaft, carrying a plurality of plates, a plurality ofplateholders on the face thereof to one side of a plane at right anglesto said crank and intersecting said shaft, and a plurality of holdersupon the opposite side of said plane, substantially as described.

15. In a photographic-plate-treating apparatus and in combination, atank, a shaft journaled therein having one end extending through one ofthe sides of the tank and terminating in a crank, said tank having apoolchamber below a horizontal plane intersecting said shaft, a diskfixed to said shaft having the quadrants thereof defined by diametricallines, one of said lines registering with said crank, a plate-receivingpocket located in each quadrant, constructed to hold a plate with itsface parallel to the face of the disk, and amark on the exterior of thetank with which said crank is designed to coact, substantially asdescribed.

16. In a photographic-plate-treating apparatus and in combination, acylindrical tank including a lower portion providing a pool chamber, anda cover portion hinged at one peripheral edge to said lower portion, thelatter portion having a rabbeted edge providing a shoulder to receivethe edge of the cover, and a rim overlapping the edge of said cover uponthe inner side of the tank, cup-shaped sockets secured to the oppositesides of the rim, a plate-carrying disk, a shaft having said disksecured to the same, the edge of said cover portion and the said rim ofthe bottom portion being recessed to accommodate said shaft, washerscarried by the shaft finding bearings in said cups, one of said washersoverlapping the edges of the recess in said rim, and a third washeroverlapping the edge of the recess in said cover, substantially asdescribed.

17 In a photographicplate-treating apparatus and in combination, acylindrical tank including a lower portion providing a poolchamber, anda cover portion hinged at one peripheral edge to said lower portion, thelatter portion having a rabbeted edge providing a shoulder to receivethe edge of the cover, and a rim overlapping the edge of said cover uponthe inner side of the tank, cup-shaped sockets secured to the oppositesides of the rim, a plate-carrying disk, a shaft having said disksecured to the same, the edge of said cover portion and the said rim ofthe bottom portion being recessed upon one side to accommodate saidshaft and imperforate upon the opposite side, washers carried by theshaft finding bearings in said cups, one of said washers overlapping theedges of the recess in said rim, and a third washer overlapping the edgeof the recess in said cover, substantially as described.

18. In a photographic-plate-treating apparatus and in combination, alight-tight tank having a pool-chamber therein, a plate-carrying diskrevolubly mounted therein, and filling and draining means for said tank,said draining means comprising a supplemental chamber communicating atone end with the pool-chamber in the tank and having a discharge at itsopposite end, and bathe-surfaces extending across the intermediateportion of said chamber, substantially as described.

19. In a photographic-plate-treating apparatus and in combination, alight-tight tank having a pool-chamber in the lower portion thereof, andsight-openings through the upper portion of the side walls of the same,a disk rotatably mounted in said tank having an opening through the samedesigned to register with the sight-opening in the tank, and meansassociated with said disk for holding a plate thereon in register withsaid opening, substantially as described.

' 20. In an apparatus for developing or fixing photographic plates andin combination, a light-tight tank having a pool-chamber therein and adisplaceable portion, a carrier mounted in the tank, means extendingoutside of the tank for rotating the carrier, and a plurality ofplate-receiving means associated with the carrier arranged to beregistered with the opening exposed by the shifting of said displaceableportion of the tank, whereby the plates may be inserted into or removedfrom the carrier, said means being so disposed as to hold the plateswith their sensitized surfaces parallel to a plane at right angles tothe axis of the carrier, whereby when the latter is rotated the plateswill be moved edgewise through the pool of treating liquid,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence oftwo attesting witnesses, at New Rochelle, in the county of VVestchesterand State of New York, this 15th day of June, 1903.

(:rEORGE H. DORR.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR G. SoHoLL, ADoLPn LASUS.

